Before David A. Zane Jr. was sentenced to concurrent 365-day state prison terms for burglary and theft of his mother's home — along with two other houses in Mantua Township — a letter his mother wrote to him was read out loud in Superior Court in Gloucester County on Friday.

Zane, 25, of Mantua Township, pleaded guilty on July 22 to charges related to the burglary of his mother's home, as well as two other residences in February and April.

The letter was written by his mother Lisa MacMullin, who said she couldn't be there in court, but wanted to address her son's "wrongdoing," according to the Gloucester County Prosecutor's Office.

The letter read:

“But instead of allowing today to be about you, David, today is about your sister. We are leaving to take her to college, something you should have been here for,” she wrote.

“For the past several years, I have watched you destroy your life due to your drug addiction. You have said to me on many occasions that you are only hurting your self, no one else, but the one thing that you will never understand is that everything you have done affects everyone around you.

“You will never know the heartache that you have caused me, and I’m not so sure that you care. I have forgiven you for what you took from me, David. This was never about that. Your drug problems have turned you into a person I no longer recognize. The son I raised would not forget his sister’s 18th birthday or her high school graduation, or walk out on his most prized possession, your beautiful baby girl, whose second birthday you also missed.

“I am sad all the time, David, that this is the life you chose for yourself. It’s sad for me to say this, but I used to thank God when I would find out you were in jail because I knew at least for now you were alive. No mother should feel that way.

“I hope whatever jail time you receive, David, you take to reflect on the many things you have done wrong and getting serious help for your drug addiction.

“Don’t let Gamma grow up without her father; that would really be sad for both of you. You are missing out on an amazing little girl. She’s a lot like you, beautiful, funny, smart and sassy. I want you to know that no matter what you have done, I am your mother and I love you very much.”

After hearing his mother’s words, Zane told Judge Walter L. Marshall Jr. he wished she was there to receive his apology.

“Obviously she thought enough to do that,” Judge Marshall said of MacMullin’s letter. The judge also ordered Zane to pay $3,500 as restitution for collectible coins stolen from one of the victims.